Trading methods have evolved from a manually intensive process to a technology enabled, electronic platform. With the advent of electronic trading, a user or trader can be in virtually direct contact with the market, from practically anywhere in the world, performing near real-time transactions.
Electronic trading is generally based on a host exchange, one or more computer networks, and client devices. In general, the host exchange includes one or more centralized computers to form the electronic heart. Its operations typically include maintaining an exchange order book that records unexecuted orders, order matching, providing price and order fill information, and managing and updating a database that records such information. The host exchange is also equipped with an external interface that maintains uninterrupted contact to the client devices and possibly other trading-related systems.
Using client devices, traders link to the host exchange through one or more networks. A client device is a computer such as a personal computer, laptop computer, hand-held computer, and so forth that has network access. A network is a group of two or more computers or devices linked together, which can be characterized by topology, protocol, and architecture. For example, some market participants may link to the host through a direct network connection such as a T1 or ISDN. Some participants may link to the host exchange through direct network connections and through other common network components such as high-speed servers, routers, and gateways. The Internet, a well-known collection of networks and gateways, can be used to establish a connection between the client device and the host exchange. There are many different types of wired and wireless networks and combinations of network types known in the art that can link traders to the host exchange.
Sometimes, on their machines, traders use automated or semi-automated trading tools that automatically or semi-automatically send orders to the exchange. Such trading tools are usually provided to, among other things, facilitate fast and accurate order entry. For instance, an automated tool might quickly calculate one or more order parameters, such as order price or order quantity, based on market conditions, or some other reference condition, and then automatically send an order with these parameters to an exchange for matching. According to many existing and popular exchanges today, orders are electronically entered in an exchange order book in the sequence in which they are entered into the market (a first-in, first-out, commonly referred to as FIFO matching system). Based on this sequence, and the availability of market quantity, orders are filled, with priority given to the first order entered, then the second (next) order entered, and so forth.
Automated or semi-automated trading tools often include spread trading tools. In general, spread trading is the buying and/or selling of one, two or more tradeable objects, the purpose of which is to capitalize on changes or movements in the relationships between the tradeable objects. The tradeable objects that are used to complete a spread are referred to as the outright markets or legs of the spread. A spread trade could involve buying tradeable objects, buying and selling tradeable objects, selling tradeable objects or some combination thereof.
As used herein, the term “tradeable object” refers to anything that can be traded with a quantity and/or price. It includes, but is not limited to, all types of traded events, goods and/or financial products, which can include, for example, stocks, options, bonds, futures, currency, and warrants, as well as funds, derivatives and collections of the foregoing, and all types of commodities, such as grains, energy, and metals. The tradeable object may be “real,” such as products that are listed by an exchange for trading, or “synthetic,” such as a combination of real products that is created by the user. A tradeable object could actually be a combination of other tradeable objects, such as a class of tradeable objects.
During spread trading, a trader has typically a reason to believe that the conditions that will cause price movements in one tradeable object will also cause price movements in the other. Thus, in other words, spread trading may be thought of as the process of protecting a position where an investment is made, by taking an offsetting position in a related product in order to reduce the risk of adverse price movements. For example, a trader might simultaneously buy and sell two options of the same class at different strike prices and/or expiration dates. Typically, spread trading is used to describe a “short” position taken to offset a “long” position in the market. In other words, when a long position is established with one order, another order, an offset order, can be sent to fill the other leg(s) of the spread and offset the created position. A long position is one where a trader has purchased a tradeable object at a specific price with the intent of selling that tradeable object at a higher price. A short position is one where the trader has effectively sold the tradeable object first with the intent of buying it later at a lower price.
The automated spread trading tools typically allow a trader to adjust and control price levels at which offset orders are sent. However, the existing offsets are user-configurable and remain static unless a trader changes the entered values. To profit in electronic markets, market participants must be able to assimilate large amounts of data, and must react to the received data more quickly than other competing market participants. Thus, it is desirable to offer tools that can assist a trader in trading in an electronic trading environment, and help the trader make trades at the most favorable prices in a speedy and accurate manner.